A collapse—your legs suddenly give way and you fall to the ground—is called by many names: fainting, passing out, losing consciousness. The medical term for fainting is syncope (SINK-a-pee). Before you actually faint, you are likely to experience one or more signs that it’s about to happen: sweating, lightheadedness, or a sense that your surroundings are going dark are some of the signs that precede loss of consciousness. Fortunately, most episodes of fainting are over quickly and are no … [Read more...] about Is It An Emergency If Someone Collapses?